On a Cold Winter night
by merciki
Summary: A collection of drabbles written for CT522 Yuletide in Panem .
1. Odesta A snowy Day

The waves continued lapping at the sand on the beach.

The adolescent boy watched the snow falling, arms outstretched, enjoying the flakes falling on his red hair, carefree. He started spinning, making a little hole in the sand, until he somehow entangled his feet, and fell on his back, laughing.

"Mom! It's snowing!"

"It is, Buddy, it is."

"I've never seen snow before! Have you?"

"In another life, I saw some, yes."

The woman, bundled up in layers of wool and a thick coat, watched with eyes barely present under the green scarf that somehow complemented her red hair, and smiled at her son's antics.

Memories came back rushing. A City made of concrete, the white snow spoiled with petrol, or blood. Crashed vehicles slowly burning in a corner, pods exploding. The Star Squad.

She took deep breaths, letting the air fill her lungs, before holding it tightly inside inside her chest, following the advice of Dr. Peachmar, her long-time therapist. And so started her list, expelling as she spoke:

" _My name is Annie Cresta Odair. I'm thirty four years old. I live in District 4. I was married to Finnick Odair. He died during the Rebellion. I have a son. His name is Ewen. It's snowing. We're going to make a snowman._ "

On and on, she repeated her litany, the words comforting her with each passage, until she finally, _finally_ could open her eyes and smile.

Ewen was still laughing, trying to catch the snowflakes with his tongue.

"Ewen? Do you want to try to make a snowman?"

The young boy nodded, urging his mom to return to their house a few yards away.

Annie looked at the sea, calm and quiet on this snowy day.

As she turned away, the waves continued lapping at the sand on the beach .

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Thank you, ct522, my friend for hosting this event, and allowing me to participate in - and all your beta work :)


	2. GaleCressida: Other Fishes in the Sea

**Other Fish In The Sea**

"Hey, Stranger! Long time no see!" The deep tone of a woman's voice cut through the reflections of the olive-skinned man, who had been contemplating his drink.

"Cressida! What are you doing here?"

They'd run into each other in a cozy bar in the city of Cuertos, Panem. In the years following the Rebellion, the building of a New Panem had begun. Cities appeared in the remnants of the former Districts, populations slowly reclaiming parts of land that had been forbidden for too long. The new government started to organize the regions, eliminating the old divisions between districts in an attempt to create a new map. The country was divided into four regions, each of them further subdivided into Counties.

A national movement was initiated to christen everything with brand new names, as a way to start over with something new, maybe even better. Cuertos was the most important town of the Southwest Region (yes, the names were that original), which was itself divided into twelve counties, going from the blue of the Western Ocean to the burnt orange of the Rocky Desert.

The tall man in a pristine suit climbed down off his stool, a small smile on his lips before turning to hug the woman in front of her.

"Nobody in that fancy office of yours told you I was coming?" Cressida asked, leaving a kiss on Gale's cheek.

"They might have tried. I'm still going through last month's memos, so there's a chance I'll get the reminder in two weeks." He winked at his long time friend.

"Always busy, Hawthorne."

"Yeah, what can I say? I love my job."

"Do you?" she added, conversationally, as if asking about his mother and siblings.

The question was direct, as Cressida's words usually were. They were never mean, or malicious. She always aimed straight to the heart of things. Maybe that's why she was such a good journalist.

"Why wouldn't I?" Gale waved to flag down the bartender. "What are you having?"

Cressida took the stool next to his, the blonde hair on her shaven head so different from the military styles of the patrons around them. Her green eyes were luminous in the darkened bar decorated for Christmas, a holiday from before the Dark Days revived after the fall of Snow's Regime.

"Whatever you're having is good."

The bartender brought them two glasses half-filled with an amber liquid whose reflections danced on the wooden bar. Cressida swirled her drink, eyes focused on the ice cubes dangling in it.

"You haven't answered me, you know," she asked, her voice softer.

"About?"

"Do you love your job?"

She almost didn't hear the sigh that escaped the mouth of the man sitting next to her. Almost.

"Of course I do. It's such an opportunity to be part of rebuilding a country. I couldn't say no." Gale's tone was flat, his words obviously rehearsed for the upteenth time.

"Couldn't you?"

"Why do you keep asking this, Cressida?"

She kept her eyes on the dancing liquid.

"Because you keep bullshitting me."

Cressida heard the ruffle of clothes but still didn't move. She took her time, taking a slow sip of her drink, before setting her glass back on the bar. Then, she turned, crossing her legs.

Gale faced her, wearing an angered expression, a dangerous sparkle in his eyes. Cressida only smiled more, pushing a lock of her blonde hair behind her ear.

"Well, it didn't take much to get you back, Hawthorne. So. Do you like your job? And you don't expect me to be afraid of you, do you?" There was a hint of provocation in her words now.

Her left hand fell down to her thigh, drawing gentle pattern on the soft material of her pants.

"Who do you think you are, Cressida? Coming here and lecturing me like I'm some fucking 12-year old?"

"That's because you behave like a 12 year-old boy, Gale."

There was fire in his eyes now, the flash of something Cressida remembered last seeing some ten years before.

"You keep playing the smart guy in a suit, when in fact you're still a teenage boy wandering the woods, pining after the girl who will never be his."

Anger turned into shock on Gale's face at hearing Cressida's words.

"How can you…. This is not about Katniss!" She could hear that underneath the shock, there was sadness in his words.

"Of course it's about Katniss, Gale." Her left hand left her thigh, gently landing on his chest, where his heart was beating fast. "It's always been about her. But she was never yours. And she never will be."

He sighed heavily, all the fire fleeing him. "I know."

"She chose Peeta years ago, years before you ever had feelings for her."

"No!" he said savagely. There was no way Katniss had fallen for the baker's son without him noticing.

"He won her over the day he gave her the bread, when she almost died."

"It's just a story he made up for the Games. Katniss would have told me."

"Would she? Did she always tell you everything?" There was a challenge in Cressida's voice, as if she was daring him to contradict her.

Gale opened her mouth, obviously ready to say something, but no sound came out. Nothing. He kept replaying scenes in his head. How Katniss had always fondled whatever piece of bread she traded from the bakery back in their hunting days. How sometimes he could see her gaze lingering over the worn building. How she had turned down an afternoon of hunting to go see a stupid wrestling tournament. How over the years, she had never made a move towards him, her best friend, Gale Hawthorne, finally giving her attention to another boy. Her man.

"There you are. You were never her choice. Peeta was." She had taken her hand from his chest, turning back in her seat to finish her drink.

"There are other fish in the sea, Gale. Some even willing to get caught," she tossed the words casually over her shoulder.

Cressida climbed down off the bar stool, leaving a note on the counter before leaning in to kiss Gale's cheek. It was decidedly different from the kiss she'd given him in greeting.

Without another word, she left the bar.

He stared at his glass, her words echoing in his mind. Maybe it was time to really let her go. To move on. Start his own life. Stop pretending that he might still have a chance.

His eyes fell on the bank note on the counter. Something was hidden underneath it. He pushed the paper away to discover an electronic keycard to the Hills Hotel of Cuertos.

He knew what it meant. What she meant.

Was he ready? Did he want it?

He stared at the card for a long time, or maybe it was only a minute?

Taking his wallet out of his jacket pocket, he slid another note on the counter before pocketing the card.

Maybe it was time to go fishing.

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My huge thanks to ct522 for all (ALL) her beta work.


	3. Galone: Only the Lonely

Only the Lonely

 _ **For when it's gone you'll know the loneliness  
The heartbreak only the lonely know **_

_**-**_ **from** _ **Only the Lonely**_ **by Frank Sinatra**

"You like to sleep with the windows open."

How could she know that? How could Katniss know that detail about Peeta?

Everybody knew he was a baker – it was no secret in either District 12 or in all Panem, that Peeta was The Boy with the Bread, the other part of the Star-Crossed lovers charade.

That Katniss knew how he took his tea wasn't that surprising. They had shared many a meal during the preparations for two Hunger Games and through an entire Victory Tour, and had been together long enough to know the other's preference.

The painter part was a surprise too, something Gale didn't know at all. Again, he couldn't deny that both Katniss and Peeta had talked together, at least a little. Then he remembered. The Plant Book. Peeta had helped Katniss with reviving her family's old, worn-out leather covered manuscript, listing all the plants they both knew were in the woods around the Seam.

And what was that? Something about shoelaces? Gale's eyes dropped to the combat boots they were all wearing, noticing that indeed, Peeta's were solidly tied with two distinct knots. Katniss had always been attentive to details, this wasn't something he should be surprised she noticed – the only exception being she was totally clueless about the attention she drew to herself. She always wanted to be overlooked, when all eyes were on her. That was something Gale never understood.

The question remained. How did she know Peeta liked to sleep with an opened window?

The only answer that came to Gale's mind was not even a possibility. There was no way Katniss had slept in the same room as Peeta for any amount of time. Katniss would never do that. She was always the one to pull back when his hand lingered a little too long on a shoulder, when he tried to bring his lips close to any part of her body, really. She always walked away, never acknowledging him, or anyone else for what mattered.

She only cared about the touch of one person, and that person was her sister. Not a boy from the merchant part of District Twelve who had pretended to love her for the last two years.

Or whatever. As if a boy could fall in love with a girl at age 5, and spend all his life waiting for her. Gale had had his fair share of experiences with girls and women that made him certain that there was no way any man could fall head over heels for anyone. It all reinforced his belief that the Star-Crossed lovers had been a fake romance from the start, invented only to earn the pair sponsors and the chance of one of them winning in the end. Nothing else.

Still, the comment nagged his mind.

He didn't pay much attention to the "Real or Not Real" game Peeta played with the other members of the Squad, having no time to waste in mundane things.

Until they'd left the snow covered streets, festive in another context, to enter the sewers. Until Katniss took her watch, in the dimly lit room they stopped in to rest. Until she started talking with Peeta.

They whispered, careful not to wake the rest of the team up, their head close to one another. That's when he saw it. The fat, unexpected, sparkling tear falling from his eye, as he talked about something golden or shiny, Gale didn't understand his words.

What he cared about, though, was Katniss's hand on Peeta's wrist, moving slowly as if to soothe the pain his shackles were causing, as if to ease and comfort him.

Katniss Everdeen was voluntarily touching someone other than her sister, in such an intimate manner.

Gale watched, fascinated, as her hand slid up and down to his, her fingers ghosting over his knuckles. He lost all interest in their conversation, all the while focused on her body language. He watched, mesmerized, the girl he thought would one day love him, displaying her affection for another one. Without anyone even noticing.

When a big, fat tear fell from his eye, nobody was there to soothe him.

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My huge thanks to Ct522 for her beta skills :) she's amazing.


	4. 4 Let Me Go - PrimKatniss

"It's beautiful, Katniss."

Prim was studying the Christmas tree with her eyes wide opened, the light of the candles sparkling in her blue eyes. She slowly took a turn around the tree her left hand lingering on the branches, ghosting over a tinsel or a ball, smiling at the dotted _P_ and _K_ letters hanging in the higher branches. The young girl carefully did a complete tour of the Nordmann tree, sometimes pausing to turn a bauble, or re arrange an ornament.

She finally came back to her sister.

"You did well, for someone who doesn't like Christmas."

"I had help…"

"Well, of course you did. Doesn't mean you couldn't have done it on your own, Katniss."

Prim turned back, looking around her, taking in the paintings hanging from the walls, the ball of fur on the sofa, purring in front of the fire.

"Buttercup didn't try to bring it down?" she asked.

Katniss chuckled at the thought. "The tree hadn't been in the house but five minutes before Buttercup was already jumping in it. Peeta had to rescue him."

"Once again, Peeta saved the day."

"Yeah…"

Katniss felt overwhelmed at the thought of Peeta, filling her life with the light and warmth that seemed to follow him, filling her with something that made her whole. That made her want to have another day, another week; as long as he was by her side.

Prim looked at the tree again, smiling. Her long white dress hid her feet, and her hair was loose at her back. Her features were softer now that the childhood traits were gone. She was a beautiful young woman.

She didn't turn to talk to her sister this time.

"You have to let me go. You know that."

"I can't." Tears were already falling from Katniss's eyes, coming from the part of her that would never heal. "I can't let go of you, Prim."

The snow was glowing white on the ground in front of the two women, the wind howling like the swirling storm inside Katniss's chest, so strong it hurt. Like somebody was trying to rip out a part of her heart.

They were outside, now, the cold cutting through Katniss, whereas Prim didn't seem to feel it as she started to walk away from her sister.

"Prim!" shouted the brunette, finding herself unable to move. "Don't go! I can't live without you! Prim!"

The wind was so cold, Katniss's tears started to freeze on her cheeks. The cold was everywhere, swirling around her, anchoring itself inside of her.

Prim turned, her smile getting wider.

"Oh, Ye of little faith. Search your heart, Katniss. You'll see you've already started."

She came closer to her big sister, her eerie image filling Katniss's eyes.

"I'm not the one who will warm your heart for the years to come. You already took that step. And I fully intend on watching my nieces and nephews grow up, you know. I'll always be around."

"I can't, Prim, I just… can't," Katniss sobbed.

"You're the strongest person I know, except for maybe Peeta. Sure you can."

"And I'm never having children, you know that…" Katniss protested as if her sister hadn't spoken.

Prim laughed, and to Katniss's ears, it was like music, like a thousand small bells ringing the in the depths of her most beautiful memory.

"You have time to change your mind, Honey."

The blonde opened her arms to take her sister in, hugging her tightly.

"I'm going, now Katniss. From now, I'll only be a memory. You have your life ahead of you. Heal, smile, laugh, and love. I'll see you on the other side. Some day."

Katniss felt a ghost of a kiss on her cheek, tried to hold on her sister as long as she could, but it was useless. Prim was gone. Forever.

Katniss woke up, this time not to the sound of her shouts in the dark, but to the feel of tears on her cheeks being brushed away by calloused hands, while her ears caught his whispers.

She found that she did not feel cold inside-out. She was surrounded by warmth. Peeta dried her tears silently as she nudged her head between his jaw and shoulder, and they fell back into a peaceful sleep. Together.

The next morning, when they went down the stairs to make their breakfast, they talked about going into town to try and find little lights for their Christmas tree.

They only noticed later that Buttercup had passed away in his sleep, sometime during the night.

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 **My huge thanks to the awesome ct522 who beta-ed this story, and to akai-echo on tumblr who made an awesome banner.**

 **Please do not hesitate to leave a comment :)**

 **I'm the girlfromoverthepond on tumblr.**


	5. 5Everlark The stags are calling

**My huge thanks to the awesome ct522 for her beta skills, her friendship, and her awesomeness. Thank you my friend, for hosting Yuletide in Panem on tumblr!**

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"You're sure you don't mind, right?"

"Peeta, as long as we go on eating like we did this past week, we can visit as many castles as you want, okay? I don't mind."

Well, she actually DID mind a little, because really, these castles were all the same to her. Granted, the architecture did differ from one to the next, but basically, a castle remains a castle. Even in France, even if they had names like Cheverny or Chenonceaux-whatever. They were big, white buildings and that was all.

But the perks of these visits were the long walks they could take in the huge parks surrounding them. Wide alleys, beautiful forests with centuries-old oak trees, squirrels running in the branches, ducks bathing in the ponds and rivers that were nothing she'd ever seen before. In the parks, she could wander around while Peeta sketched, or they walked linked together by their hands or arms, bathing in the December sun.

They had decided on this trip to France a few months ago as a way to mark their five year anniversary of officially being a couple, and so far they both had enjoyed the trip a lot. Peeta because of the museums they went to, gorging himself on all kind of arts, and Katniss also, thanks to the amazing sceneries they were presented with. And the food. She had to admit, when food was concerned, the French knew how to handle themselves. Her mouth watered at the memory of the toasted goat cheese she ate yesterday with her meal, or the delicious foie gras they treated themselves to in Paris. She was considering lobbying the FDA to loosen its strict rules on the import of fresh products because there was no way she could live without that kind of food anymore.

"Chambord is special, you know? It was inhabited for only 42 days by king François the First," Peeta said.

"42 days? They built a castle for 42 days? The French are crazy," Katniss exclaimed.

"It wasn't supposed to be a castle, just a kind of hunting lodge."

"Hunting?"

"Yes, Master of the Bow, hunting. Deers and bucks. The castle's forest is the largest private one in Europe!"

"Wow, I guess I can't hunt in it, can I?"

"No, but maybe we can get lost in it…." Peeta winked.

"Peeta!" Katniss tried to dodge him, but he stole a kiss quickly instead. They didn't want the old couple sitting on the other side of the alley to again tell them how cute they were together. Ah, the perks of travelling by bus…

They soon arrived in the small village where they exited the vehicle, bidding goodbye to their fellow travelers, who fondly waved at them.

"I was afraid they would go out with us and follow us to the B&B, you know?"

"I was afraid they would follow us into our room, honestly. And I'm not sure they would want to see what I intend to do to you tonight, babe," Peeta whispered in Katniss's ear, before leaving a kiss on the tender flesh of her neck, making her shiver – and not because of the December cold.

"Peeta! Not here!"

He chuckled, the sound like music to her ears.

"Now, man of my life, tell me where is this B&B, I'm kind of hungry!"

"When aren't you, really?"

"There are different kinds of hunger you know…. There's the one for food and the other," Katniss leaned, taking her time to let her nose make its way up his neck slowly before she was the one whispering, "The one where I crave you and your fingers on my body".

She distinctly heard him gasped at her words, his eyes usually as blue as the sky on a summer day turning a shade darker.

Yes, two could play that game. And it was a game they both enjoyed.

She took a few steps forwards, swaying her hips a little bit more than was really necessary, before turning her head to him, her eyes sparkling in the afternoon light. "So, honey, shall we go?"

They easily found the small B&B where they were spending the next two nights. Their hostesses were welcoming, and spoke perfect English, leading them to a very comfortable room decorated in the typical British style – comfortable, cozy, and beautiful. They handed them leaflets of the things to see around, and recommended a small restaurant two streets away.

Katniss intended to really – really – test the comfort of the bed before going for supper, but it appeared Peeta had other desires.

"Please, Katniss – this place is awesome, I just want to get a peek at the castle before we go to dinner. And I swear, after that, I'm all yours."

"So you're passing on an opportunity to make love to me, in France, for a castle… I can't guarantee I will be in the mood after that, Mellark."

"Oh I'm quite sure I'll change your mind on that, Everdeen."

"Keep dreaming, mister."

Katniss successfully managed to pretend to pout for about ten minutes, before the sight in front of her literally took her breath away. The castle, in the sunset was radiant, its white walls tainted in all shades of orange, pink and red, its dark slates shining.

But, contrary to their usual routine upon arriving in front of the castle, they didn't take the path leading inside, but instead turned right along the canal, towards the woods in the back.

"Peeta… there's no way we'll go into the castle following this path. You know that."

"The castle can wait until tomorrow."

"Where are we going, then?"

"You'll see."

"You know I don't do well with surprises right?"

"I didn't hear a thing."

"Tell me!"

"No."

"Peeta!"

"Yes, dear?"

"Tell me where we're going."

"Ahead."

"Oh my god, you're unbearable!"

"But you love me."

"Maybe."

Katniss continued trying to extract the information from him, who went on bantering with her. Soon enough, the game began to turn hotter and hotter, as she used her fingers and tongue to get her answers. Surprisingly, Peeta managed to remain almost stoic, but for the small bulge in the front of his pants that he pretended not to acknowledge, even when Katniss ran her fingers over it. Several times.

After around twenty minutes of walking, Peeta stopped in his tracks.

"What?" Katniss looked around in surprise, trying to find out if he had laid out a blanket somewhere, with a candlelight ornament - he was that type of guy, really. "Where are we going?"

"You know why I wanted to come here, Kat?"

"Duh, because you wanted to see the castle?" That's why they'd been touring this whole Loire Valley, right?

"Nope! Wrong answer!" Peeta replied, in his best stupid-game-host tone. "You can try again!"

"Peeta…." she sighed, but the look of pure joy on his face made her smile too. "Okay. To open-up my appetite before we head to the restaurant where I can gorge myself on the delicious meals they have here".

His laugh echoed in the woods around.

"You and your obsession with food…"

"Has nothing on you and your obsession with art, honey." She pecked his lips lightly. "So, what are we doing here?"

"We're going sight-seeing."

"Sight-seeing what? The castle is crap away, and I'm not sure a walk in the woods can be considered sightseeing."

"And that's where you're wrong, sweetheart."

His smile only grew wider as his hand made its way down her arm, rubbing lightly over her coat until his fingers reached hers and they laced automatically. He leaned closer, kissing her cold cheek before gently tugging on her hand, leading her towards a small dirt path on the left.

"Peeta? We're not having sex in the woods. I'm pretty sure the French also have laws against that, you know?"

"You're no fun. Now, are you coming? I'd like to show you something."

"And what would that be?"

"Wait and see, little grasshopper."

"Shut up, Sensei."

Katniss was pretty sure she will never be bored by her life with Peeta. They've known each other since childhood, sharing the same first day of kindergarten, building up a solid friendship that lasted until their last day of high school. Then their paths parted, him going to some fancy college, her staying at the local one. They kept in touch through social networks, realizing that maybe what they had wasn't just friendship. They missed each other too much, never really dating anyone else, never wanting to commit, until they were face to face, and kissed for the first time.

He was sweet and caring, clearly the romantic, optimistic one, while she could be sullen and harsh - even if living with Peeta had made her see the world in a brighter way. All wasn't rainbows and unicorns, though - their fights, even if they were rare, were usually something, neither of the two wanting to back away from their position. Peeta gave as good as he got, never letting her win any argument for the sake of letting things go. He challenged her, called her on her BS, made her think - made her be a better person.

But right now, she wondered what they were doing in the middle of the French woods of Chambord, when there was a giant bed waiting for them and a restaurant really closeby. It must be something spectacular, a little castle in the woods like in Versailles or something.

She did not expect what she saw. A large, wooden log cabin, perched on huge stilts, all carefully designed to blend in with the landscape.

"Peeta?"

"Come on, it's a spectacle to see!"

"Birds watching?"

"Not birds. You'll see!"

His excitement was contagious, and he was making the happy puppy face Katniss knew she couldn't resist - she had really never been able to.

They climbed up the wooden ladder that lead to the observatory displaying a large opening in front of them. All around, lined up against the walls were benches made out of trunks in front of which large pictures were plastered, showing the different animals that could be found in the woods.

"What are we doing here, Peeta?"

"You know how we can never see animals when I come with you in the woods, right?"

She knew. They loved hiking and spending time at her father's little cabin, but seeing animals is just impossible as Peeta's footing was way too heavy. He could walk for miles, easily following her, but scared all the game within a two-miles radius.

"Yeah…" she answered.

"Here, we can."

"We can?" she asked.

"I guess as long as I don't walk, we could. If they come…"

"Birds?" she asks?

"No. Deer."

"Deer? Here?" she asks, more than surprised.

"Yep. I saw they build these observatories to watch the deer calls, you know ? When deer are squalling, and fighting for the females… they say Chambord is the best place to watch it, and well, I was thinking it would be cool to see them together."

"Oh Peeta…." He had done it again. Thought about her, finding something she would enjoy, just for the sake of making her happy. "It's an amazing idea… "

"I can't be sure the deer will come - it's a little late in the season for that."

A move caught Katniss's trained eyes, and she watched a boar making its way to the middle of the meadow, sniffing the ground for anything to eat.

"Peeta, look …." she pointed at the animal, moving forward to the large open space. She discovered they could comfortably recline on their elbows and look at the animals. The boar was soon followed by its small ones, carefully watching around their mother for any threat.

"They are so close …. they can't see us…" Katniss was in hunter mode - her eyes fixed on the animals. Peeta was pretty sure she was mentally aiming at the mother with her bow and arrows. "And you can see them!" she whispered, kissing his cheek again. God, she would never get tired of kissing his fair skin, relishing the feeling of his stubble against her face.

"Oh, look at them, they are so cute!" One of the little boars was sneezing, having smelled something he apparently didn't like. He was moving his head from left to right, as if to get rid of a piece of mud or something stuck in his hair.

"Kat, look …" She was so focused on the boars that she didn't notice the majestic animal that had appeared at the edge of the meadow. Peeta's whisper of awe made her turn her head to where he was pointing. The large animal was really impressive, its antlers proudly displayed for everyone to see, steam coming out of his nostrils as he studied his surroundings. Cautiously, he took a step forward, testing the fading grass and the earth below his hooves. Then, reassured, he moved towards the middle of the meadow, where a tiny stream of water was running quietly.

"It's beautiful…" Peeta whispered in Katniss ear. She turned her head to him, watching his eyes full of awe at the sight in front of them. She was used to this look - it's the one he got when he stared at something he planned to paint later, or draw in his sketchbook for further use, in one of the art classes he liked to take.

"Yeah… thank you for bringing me here…" she whispered back to him, not wanting the deer to run away because of their voices, wanting to enjoy the spectacle in front of them as much as possible.

Having reached the middle of the clearing, the deer looked around, checking for threats before dipping his head to take long sips of the clear water.

"Have you ever seen anything more beautiful?" Katniss asked, her eyes trained on the animal now moving away toward the grassy part of the clearing.

"Yes. She's right next to me" he whispered into her ear, his left hand moving down her arm, light as a feather on the sleeve of her coat.

"Stop that…."

"Why?" his lips were now trailing kisses on her neck, playing hide and seek with her braid as he followed her line of hair.

"There are laws, you know?"

"And?"

"We could get caught…"

"By whom? A deer?" The kisses had changed to open-mouthed ones, making Katniss shiver - and again, not from the cold

"Peeta!"

"Hmmm?"

"Stop!"

She felt the trail of kisses move from the back of her neck, slowly climbing up until his teeth bit her earlobe and he whispered in a deep voice "Make me."

She was starting to get aroused by his ministrations, by his lingering hands and kisses on her, insisting, and oh so welcomed, as they always were, as the need to feel him became stronger.

She could only think about one thing to shut him up, and turned her head to his face, catching his lips with hers. They were so familiar after all these year that she knew them like the back of her hand, every crevice, every ridge, even the tiny scar on the upper lip, on which she always lingered.

Out of habit, her hands went to his mop of hair, her fingers losing themselves in his soft waves. She would never admit it out loud but she was kind of jealous of them, having always wanted to be a blonde girl like her sister. Hers were a dark shade of brown - mahogany-like, according to her aunt Effie - so different from Peeta's, but again, everything in her was the polar opposite of him.

She took her time savoring his lips, delighting herself in the too short time they had together - no doubt, they would head out to the B&B soon and she could have her way with him on the soft, plush bed.

She turned in his arms and stood, trying to lead him towards the ladder, but he apparently had other ideas, as he pinned her against the low, wooden wall. She felt the ridge of the large windows against her back, as Peeta settled one of his legs between hers, continuing to kiss her lips until his tongue begged her mouth for entry.

She granted it easily, opening up for him, relishing the feeling of his tongue on hers, chasing hers, dancing with hers. He was taking his time, his hands opening the front button of her coat, before digging under her light sweater, making her moan at the contact of his cold fingers on her warm skin.

"Peeta… We can't… not here…" she tried to whisper between kisses, at the same time trying to reign in her treacherous body, all too happy to succumb to the caresses of the hands it knew so well.

Peeta didn't answer at all, but Katniss felt his smile against her lips, and his hands began to slide along her flat stomach more intently, his lips leaving her mouth to trace her jaw and place open-mouthed kisses on her neck. He moved until he reached the point just under her earlobe, the soft spot that made her moan every single time.

She didn't disappoint this time either, trying with all she had to fight the desire burning her inside, overtaking her slowly, making her forget where they were and all the reasons they shouldn't make love there.

She was almost strong enough to push Peeta away and run towards the B&B to finish what they had just started when she heard a sound she hadn't in years.

The powerful, animalistic calling of a deer searching for a partner. A deep scream as old as time, primitive and raw, that echoed in the meadow.

The two humans stopped kissing, staring into each other's eyes as the large animal shouted again, and again, his need reverberating all around them.

The deer's desire became their own, as the primal sound echoed in their bodies and mind. They launched themselves at each other, their kisses turning frenetic as they ravaged the other's body hastily, not bothering with taking off their clothes more than necessary.

The deer didn't stop his yelling, his shouts becoming louder and deeper with each cry, each time a little more desperate.

The tension between Katniss and Peeta grew heavier, their breaths mingling, their chests heaving.

Katniss felt her legs being lifted by strong arms, and she hastily locked them around his waist, thrusting against him, in a desperate need for release.

The sound of zippers broke the silence of the observatory, before their moans competed with the loudest moan made by the deer, Peeta thrusting powerfully inside of Katniss, their bodies searching for a release as old as the woods, as old as the calling of the deer.

They finished together, their climaxes taking them by surprise with the force that drove them.

There was a pause before Peeta whispered, "Wow…"

"Pretty much…" Katniss said, panting as she readjusted her jeans, not bothering to clean herself up, not wanting to clean herself up, lingering in the after waves of her climax. Peeta rested his forehead against her, peppering her eyes with kisses

It took them a long while before they were able to walk back to their housing.

The deer shouted the last of his cries into the darkness of the night.

* * *

 **If you liked this story, or the four others, please say so :) i'd love to ear from you and know whether I should go on writing :)**


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